You are here

Saini re-appointed as UTM principal

Professor Hargurdeep (Deep) Saini has been re-appointed as vice-president and principal of the University of Toronto Mississauga for a five-year term over five and a half years, effective July 1, 2015 and continuing to December 31, 2020.

The announcement was made at the Feb. 26 meeting of U of T’s Governing Council.

“Professor Saini has provided outstanding leadership in U of T Mississauga’s continuing development as a major comprehensive campus, and as a hub of innovation in the western GTA and beyond,” says U of T president Meric Gertler. “He is also a key member of the senior leadership team of U of T as a whole. I am so pleased that he has agreed to serve a second term.”

Under Saini’s leadership the University of Toronto Mississauga has continued to grow and evolve as an academic division and a campus within our tri-campus system. Among the major advancements of the last four years are: a new academic plan; significant increases in undergraduate and graduate enrolment; growth in revenue; successes in fundraising and government support; establishment of new academic units such as the Mississauga Academy of Medicine, Centre for South Asian Civilizations, Institute for Management & Innovation and Professional Accounting Centre; academic initiatives such as the Master of Science in Sustainability Management, Interactive Digital Media with the iSchool, the combined Communication, Culture, Information and Technology (CCIT) and Master of Information degree with the iSchool, Master of Management and Professional Accounting, and a re-launching of the Forensic Sciences degree; increase in faculty complement; a number of major capital projects such as the Terrence Donnelly Health Sciences Complex, Instructional Centre, Academic Annex, Davis Building office in-fill, Deerfield Hall, Innovation Complex; chemistry, biology and physics teaching laboratory renovations and upgrades; and numerous initiatives in the student life area such as utmONE, genONE, rezONE, Academic Culture and English Program (ACE@UTM), and the Early Alert Initiative.

"Deep is an amazing leader," says John Switzer, chair of UTM's Campus Council and an alumnus from the campus' first graduating class. "He is strategic and focused yet always has time for the human side of his job.

"In his first term, Deep has demonstrated an amazing capacity; as an outside hire to understand and work effectively in the complex organization that is U of T; to expand relationships with the external communities around UTM; to lead the UTM Boundless campaign to new heights; to inspire a strong sense of place for the UTM community, and to do all these things with a sense of humour, personal humility and a heartfelt connection with students."

Saini has earned a reputation as a consultative leader with a deep and energetic passion for and devotion to UTM. He has worked to continue to build strong relationships within the UTM campus, the larger University, and in the City of Mississauga and its surrounding region.

"The trajectory Deep has shown in his first term will continue to rise as he enters his second term later this year," says Switzer. "This is an exciting development for UTM and I look forward to working with Deep for the next five years."